Page 40 of The Feisty Omega

Regardless, if I wanted Irian as my mate, then my first loyalty was to him, and secrets could bring us undone. I would have preferred to talk to him in person, but as that opportunity might not arise until Christmas, I waited until the household was asleep and crept down to the living room where our wallphone was located.

"Hey," Irian answered the call, not sounding in the least bit sleepy despite the late hour.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm studying... we've got exams coming up soon. There are expectations, y'know, got to keep the folks happy."

I snorted. I think I could say for a fact that Irian wasnotdoing it for his parents' sake. He was so competitive and driven, something which had revealed itself over time, despite being quite submissive with me... well, sometimes anyway. He was not afraid to voice his opinion to me or any of the other alphas either.

"Oh hey!" Irian chimed in excitedly, "I'm glad you rang, I've got news... I'm coming for the holidays - the next holidays! We don't have to wait for Christmas this year."

"Wow! That's unusual. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love that we'll be able to see each other sooner, but what brought this on?"

"Dunno. The folks just mentioned it at dinner tonight."

"When do the holidays start for you?" I asked, re-thinking my plan to tell him tonight about my meeting with his father. If I was going to be seeing him soon, it could wait.

"Next week," Irian told me. I could literally hear his grin in his voice.

"Perfect," I said, "I've got something I wanted to tell you but it's best done in person. It's all good, don't worry, well, mostly good, you'll see," I amended, suddenly realizing how that might sound.

"Ooh, I'm intrigued," Irian said, coaxingly.

"Yeah, well that was why I rang, but now I know you're coming to visit, it can wait until then."

"I could call off the visit," Irian suggested.

"Nah, you won't," I replied, and I couldn't help the smile that teased my lips. "You're a ballsy omega, but you're not crazy. I'll see you in a week, okay? I'll tell you everything then."

We talked some more until finally I heard a heavy yawn on the other end of the call.

"I gotta get some sleep," mumbled Irian. "I've got classes tomorrow."

We said our good nights. Irian had one more attempt at getting me to tell him why I'd called, and then we ended the call.

I stood in the darkness beside the phone for some time. Although I was looking forward to seeing Irian sooner than I'd anticipated, it worried me that the pattern was changing... I was suspicious that his parents might be getting ready for Marius to make a claim. There was nothing I could do, however, other than be alert. And make my claim on the day of his birthday.

One week later, as he'd told me, Irian arrived at the pack.

He'd arrived in the morning, and although officially he was supposed to stay at Alpha’s house, he’d moved his things into the dormitory again and headed straight down to my house for lunch. Strangely Marius hadn’t objected. In practice, he wouldn’t be staying in the dormitory. My family had grown used to him being present for breakfasts and seemed to expect it now. I wondered if our friendship caused my family problems within the pack, but no-one ever said anything.

I chose a moment when we were alone. Everyone else had wandered off and Irian and I were cleaning up in the kitchen. The noise from the TV in the next room provided the perfect cover for a private conversation.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” Irian flashed me a smile, his cheeks rosy and plump from the heat of the washing up water, his brown eyes twinkling. His soft pink lower lip was folded under a row of snowy white teeth.

I lean against the kitchen bench, admiring him, tea-towel in hand. For a moment I was distracted, but I came out of it when he cocked his head at me inquiringly.

“Oh, I have something I need to tell you.”

“Sure. What is it?”

“I went to see your dad.”

Irian’s eyes flared in surprise. “You did? Why?”

My lower lip stung, the metallic taste bitter on my tongue. Suddenly I wasn’t feeling as cocky as I had been. After all, I hadn’t asked him. Maybe I should have asked him first.

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